Suction cleaner with bag adapter



Fe., H2, E957 G. A. BRACE sUcTIoN CLEANER WITH BAG ADAPTER 6 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 4. 195,2`

Ell 1 INVENTOR. .George A. Brace FY ATTORNEY.

Feb. 12, 1957 G. A. BRACE 2,780,828

SUCTION CLEANER WITH BAG ADAPTER Filed Nov. 4. 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,2 INVENTOR ng 2 BY @www ATTORNEY.

Feb. i2, i957' G. A. BRACE 2,780,328

sucTIoN CLEANER WITH BAG ADAPTER- Eiled Nov. 4, 1952 e sheets-sheet s INVENTOH.

George A. Brace BY Wad/5f /ww f ATTORNEY.

SUCTION CLEANER WITH BAG ADAPTER Filed Nov. 4, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. George A. Brace BY @9M/ffm ATTORNEY.

Feb. l2, 1957 G. A. BRACE 2,780,828

sUcTIoN CLEANER WITH BAG ADAPTER Filed Nov. 4, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig /3 INVEN TOR. George A. Brace ATTORNEY.

Feb. 12, 1957 G, A, BRACE 2,780,828

SUCTION CLEANER WITH BAG ADAPTER Filed Nov. 4, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR A George A. Brace ATTORNEY.

SUCTION CLEANER WITH BAG ADAPYER George A. Brace, Highland Park, Ill., assignor to The Hfo'ler Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation o to Application November 4, 1952, Serial No. 318,716

16 Claims. (Cl. 15-351) This invention relates to floor type suction cleaners and more particularly to a construction featuring a unique filter assembly and mounting therefor.

Many users of suction cleaners prefer to empty the dirt from the increasingly popular paper filter so that the lter can be reused several times before replacement. This is a difhcult and distasteful task because it involves removing the bag from the cleaner, removing the closure for the top end of the filter, emptying the dirt, replacing the closure for the top end and finally reassemblying the inlet end to the cleaner. The most trying of these operations and the one frequently done improperly is reclosing the top end of the filter. Moreover, even when great care is taken and the closure is properly replaced, a sudden blow against the side of the inflated filter, as when it is inadvertently bumped into furniture, causes the top end to blow open whereupon clouds of dirt escape into the room.

These and other disadvantages of filter bags are overcome by the present invention in which the separate dirt discharge opening and closure therefor are eliminated while retaining the purpose and functions of the opening. This is accomplished by providing a very large area inlet opening for the filter and locating this opening in the side wall of the filter. This opening is preferably longer than it is wide with its longer axis extending lengthwise of the filter. This arrangement has the advantage of greater compactness and better appearance and yet provides a large area opening through which the dirt may be easily removed. Of considerable importance is the fact that the transition from the small area exhaust fan opening to the large area filter inlet is accomplished very simply by the unique filter adapter constituting another feature of the invention. This adapter has its longer dimension extending inconspicuously closely parallel to the propelling handle.

Still another problem encountered in prior cleaner constructions employing paper filters is the provision of simple, easily operated coupling means between the filter and the fan exhaust which pivots with the propelling handle without imposing any strain on the filter or requiring any part of the side walls to flex. Flexing of the paper walls, of course, results in premature failure of the filter.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new cleaner construction in which the foregoing objections and disadvantages of prior desings are circumvented.

A further object is the provision of a novel and improved filter assembly for a floor type suction cleaner.

Still another object is the provision of an improved filter adapter, filter clamp and a readily disconnectable swivelling connection between the adapter and the cleaner body.

A further object is the provision of a construction in which the dirty air stream enters the filter through an elongated opening in the side of the filter and having States Patent O i Patented Feb. 12, 1957 its longer diameter extending generally lengthwise of the filter.

Yet another object is the provision of new and improved means for requiring the filter assembly to pivot in unison with the cleaner propelling handle.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed specilication of illustrative embodiments taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a cleaner incorporating the invention according to one embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side view with parts broken away to show the constructional details;

Figure 3 is a tragementary horizontal sectional view through the filter assembly coupling when the propelling handle is lowered to its horizontal position;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through the filter adapter and clamp showing, in dotted lines, the filter clamp in open position;

Figure 5 is a Side View from the front of the handle bail taken along line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a sectional view along linel 6-6 on Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an exploded isometric view of the filter bag construction;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the blank for the filter bas;

Figure 9 is a View or' the filter bag as it is manufactured and prepared for packaging and shipment;

Figure l0 is another view of the filter bag taken along line )t0-1@ on Figure 9;

Figure ll is a fragmentary side elevational View of a -suction cleaner according to a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure l2 is a front elevational view with parts broken away to show constructionai details of Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary side elevational View from the opposite side of the cleaner from that viewed in Figure ll; and

Figure 14 is a fragmentary sectional view through the filter adapter and showing certain details not adequately illustrated in the other views.

The embodiment illustrated in Figures l to l0 comprises a suction cleaner of the floor type having a main body casting 10 provided with a downwardly opening suction nozzle 11 across its forward end and supported for ambulatory movement across the floor by a pair of front carrier wheels 12 and a pair of resiliently mounted rear wheels 13. Concealed within a removable motor hood 14 of molded plastic material, or the like, is a vertical axis electric motor 15 which is directly coupled to a suction fan, not shown, housed within a horizontally disposed fan chamber 16 in accordance with conventional practice. A suction air passageway extends between suction nozzle il and the vupwardly opening fan eye leading into the center of fan chamber i6. An exhaust duct 17 leads from the discharge side of the fan at one side of the cleaner body and terminates in a circular opening 18 disposed vertically at the rear right hand corner of the cleaner body as more clearly appears from Figure 3. As also appears from Figure 3, the rear end of the cleaner body is cut back or notched at 19 to provide an area for coupling the lter adapter and the propelling handle assembly to the cleaner body on an axis coinciding with the axis of exhaust opening 18.

A tubular propelling handle 20 is provided with a hand grip 21 at its upper end and a sheet metal bail 22 at its lower en'd. This bail is best illustrated in Figures 2, 5 and 6. The sides 23 and 24 of the bail are connected together by a web 25 provided with a socket 26 in which the handle Eis received and removably held by a thumb screw 27.

The --handle vbail is-pivotally lsupported on a-horizontal axis extending transversely of the rear of the cleaner body. For this purpose, bail member 23 is provided with an annular channel 28 which seats over a bearing ring member 29 supported on the end of exhaust passageway 17, as clearly appears in Figure 3. A bearing cohlar 30 is staked to opposite side 24 of the handle bail. Extending through the bearing collar is a pivot pin 31 rigidly secured by a nut 35 to a bracket member 32. This bracket is secured to the cleaner body as by screws 33. The entire handle assembly is held firmly seated on bearing ring 29 by means of a compression spring 34 surrounding the pivot pinand positioned between the handle bracket and side member 24 of the bail. The handle bail may be Aassembled and disassembled from the cleaner body merely by removing nut 3S and pivot pin 31 from bracket 32.

An important component of the filter assembly coniprises an adapter designated 36 and having the general configuration shown in Figure 3. This adapter includes a small area tubular member 38 having a long narrow wall 37 projecting laterally from one side thereof. The inlet rim of member 38 is preferably provided with a bayonet slot and pin connector 39 for detachably coupling the adapter to the end of a short nipple 40. The inlet end of this nipple is welded or otherwise secured to the inner wall of channel 2S on the handle bail and communicates d irectly with exhaust air outlet opening 18 on the cleaner body when the handle is assembled to the cleaner. The outer end of tube 40 may seat against a soft felt gasket 42 supported in a groove in the adapter member 36. The :l

exhaust passageway through the adapter flares upwardly and discharges through an enlarged opening 43 into the filter bag as will be described more fully presently.

Wall 37 of the adapter is shown as having a width approximating the diameter of tubular member 38 from the outer wall of which it projects. Projecting from the rim of this wall and merging with the sides and bottom of tubular member 3S is a flange provided with a wide channel 44 in which a resilient flat gasket is securely seated. The flange in which channel 44 lies flares outwardly and upwardly from member 3S to provide means for deflecting the dirty air stream upwardly into the body of the filter bag through the large area opening 43. This deflector not only prevents abrasion of the filter by the incoming air but cooperates with the filter in forming a idirt trap so that the dirt does not roll back into the air duct when the cleaner is not operating and when the adapter is being removed to empty the filter.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the filter seating and clamping area is formed by the outer surface of gasket 45 in channel 44. As clearly appears from Figure 4, the adapter is shaped to telescope into an elliptically shaped lter bag inlet opening 'located in the vertical side .vall of the filter. This opening has a minor diameter approximating that of the discharge opening 13 and a major diameter several times greater than the minor diameter.

Cooperating with the seating gasket 45 is a filter clamping device generally designated 46. It comprises a thin steel band 47 encircling the filter seating gasket and resiliently connected to tubular member 38 by a leaf spring 49, as best shown in Figure 3. The ends'of the clamp are located at the upper end of the adapter and may be detachably secured together as by the conventional toggle fastener 5l. In the full line showing of the clampin Figure 4, the toggle is open but still connected to the forward end of the clamp. ln the dotted line showing, the ends of the clamp are disconnected to provide greater access and convenience in servicing the filter. The adapter is also shown as rotated l rearwardly awayfrom the handle bail in a convenientposition for the assemblyfand disassembly illetween the adapterandconnector tube 40 will be disengageda'nd 'the adapter maybe withdrawn'fromthe'end'of the adapter.

vlocks thehandle in this position.

thetube. .Since .the .filter clamp .46 is mounted directly on the adapter by the U-shaped leaf spring 49, the clamp is removable along-with the filter and the adapter tube. Hence, it is unnecessary to open the clamp before removing the filter and adapter from the exhaust outlet of the cleaner.

Completing the filter assembly is the outer appearance bag 52 which encloses andprotects an L-shaped paper filter bag generally designated 53. The tubular main body portion or upright leg of the L is closed at its opposite ends while the short horizontal leg projecting raterally from the bottom end forms an eltliptically shaped tubular inlet yopening 54 which telescopes over and seats xon gasket 45 of the adapter and is held tightly sealed there- 'to by clamping band 46. The side inlet opening 54 has a longer diameter approximating the diameter of the bag `so that the dirt collected in the filter can be easily removed therethrough. A simple and inexpensive mode of constructing the filter bag will be described presently.

The rear side of appearance bag 52 is provided with a hooklessclosure 55 extending lengthwise from its lower to its upper end. The upper end of the appearance bag may be resiliently supported from the handle as by the usual spring 56. The lower end of the appearancefbag is secured to .the frontand side walls of handle bail '22 as by means of the snap fasteners `:'57 one or more of which may be disconnected to facilitate servicing of the filter. However, most users find that this is unnecessary and that adequate access to the filter bag is provided by opening the hookless fastener 55 which allows the filter bag and the adapter to be pivoted rearwardly away from the handle to the position indicated in Figure 4. In this position, it is a simple matter to open the toggle 51 of the clamping device and release the filter so that it can be withdrawn from Or, if the operator prefers, the adapter may be disconnected fromthe cleaner exhaust and removed together with the filter bag to a point of dirt disposal.

Before proceeding to a description of the filter bag constructional details, reference will be made to the handle control mechanism best illustrated in Figure 2. This control comprises a simple lever 58 having one end pivotally connected to the cleaner body at 59. The opposite end 60 projects through a notch 61 in the skirt of the cleaner body and is provided with a foot pedal 62 at its outermost-end. An upturned tab 63 on the lever is positioned to ride along the arcuate control sector formed on the lower rim of bail member 24 in position to engage in detent notches 64 and 65 under the influence of compression spring66 urging the lever upwardly against the bail. Thus, when the handle is raised to its vertical storage position, tab 63 engages in detent-64 and positively Detent serves to support 'the handle in an inclined rest position. The handle isvreleased from either of these locked positions merely by stepping on foot pedal 62 to remove tab 63 from the'detents.

The novel L-shaped paper filter bag forming one of the features of thisinvention may be made in various ways. One of the simplest and least expensive will now be described. Thus, the filter may be formed from a single rectangular blank of paper of the configuration illustrated in Figure 8. This blank generally indicated by numeral70 is creased along the dotted lines 71, 72, 73, 74, and 76. Blank 70 is also slit and-cut upwardly from the lower end edge in the manner illustrated in havingtheirupright longer legsgenerallyparallel to one another and the remote ends of the shorter legs terminating at the lower ends of crease lines 72 and 74, respectively. The lowerI end of the pleated section extends in a tongue 79 between the legs of the L-shaped slits which will be employed to form a web to interconnect the short legs of the L-shaped slits. To facilitate this operation, tongue 79 is provided with a pair of creases 76, 76 which meet the valley crease line 73 of the pleat at a point above the junctions of the shorter and longer legs of the L-shaped slits 77 and 78. The outer ends of creases 76,76 terminate at the opposite edges ot tongue 79 at a point below the junctions of the shorter and longer legs of slits 77, 73. This disposition of crease lines 76, 76 permits tongue 79 to be folded as a pleat extending oppositcly to the pleat formed by crease lines 72, 73 and 74 and projecting laterally from the body of the lter at right angles thereto. A further result of this disposition of the crease lines is that the opposite edges of tongue 7 overlap with the areas adjacent the shorter legs of the L-shaped slits, as indicated by reference 34 in Figures 9 and 10.

When the blank has been cut and creased in the manner described above, the opposite longitudinal edges may be secured together as at d0 to provide an elongated tubular filter having an inwardly extending longitudinal pleat 81 as shown in Figure 7. As also clearly shown in Figure 7, the L-shaped slits 77, 7d provide the laterally extending side walls 82 and S3 for the tubular shorter leg of the filter. Note that tongue 79 projects laterally from the lower end of pleat S1 with its loweropposite edges in overlapping relation to the upper inner edges of side walls 82 and 83. These overlapping areas S4, 84 (see Figure l0) may then be secured together by glueing, or the like. The upper and lower end of the filter tube-may now be flattened along crease lines '71 and 73 and permanently closed by stitching or by the application of U-shaped sealing strips S5, 85 across the ends.

The finished iilter bag has the compact and neat appearance shown in Figure 9 and l0. Thus, when viewed from the side, it will have an L-shaped appearance in which the body of the bag is formed by the upright tubular section and in which the shorter horizontal leg will project laterally from the lower end and form a large diameter elliptically shaped inlet tube having a major diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the body of the bag. Moreover, the upper surface of the shorter leg will be formed by a pleated connector web i9 which forms a continuation of the pleated inner face 01 of the upright leg of the filter.

Second embodiment A second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figures ll to 14. In this arrangement, the filter assembly is located entirely to one side of the cleaner body and exteriorly of the propelling handle bail. The cleaner body is generally indicated at 90 and is provided with a downwardly facing suction nozzle 91. The cleaner is supported on a pair of front carrier wheels 92 and a pair of rear wheels 93. It will, of course, be understood that the body encloses a motor-driven suction unit of the type in which the motor axis extends longitudinally of the body and drives a suction fan operating in a chamber 94 extending transversely of the cleaner body. Fan eye 95 communicates directly with the upper portion of the suction nozzle.

Projecting laterally from one side of the fan chamber is an exhaust air conduit 95 having a shoulder at its end supporting a bearing ring assembly 96. This assembly may be held in place in the exhaust conduit by a lianged ring 97 having a frictional iit with the exterior of the exhaust conduit.

The cleaner is provided with a propelling handle 98 having a bail 99 at its lower end the sides 100 and 101 of which straddlc the body of the cleaner and are secured to the opposite sides thereof by pivot pins 102. Bail member 100 on the right hand side of the cleaner may' be provided with a conventional handle control device generally indicated by 103 in Figure 13. This device is of the type shown in the prior art and operates automatically to hold the handle in its upright storage position or an inclined rest position from either of which it is released manually. Since this device does not form a novel feature of the present invention, it will not be described further.

The iilter assembly comprises an outer appearance bag 104 enclosing an L-shaped paper filter of unique design generally indicated by 105 and made in accordance with the teachings of this invention and a cooperating filter adapter generally indicated at 106. Each of these items is generally similar to the counter-part constructions described above in connection with the iirst embodiment.

Filter adapter 106 comprises an inlet elbow 107, the inlet end 10S of which telescopes into and rotates upon bearing assembly 96 carried at the end of exhaust air conduit 95. Referring to Figure 14, it will be seen that a long narrow wall 109 projects upwardly from the outlet end of elbow 107. Projecting from the rim of Wall 109 is a flange 110 which encircles the discharge end ot elbow 107. Flange 110 which encircles the discharge end of elbow 107. Flange 110 is provided with a channel supporting a resilient gasket 111 which forms a seat and clamping area for the inlet end of lter bag 105. Cooperating with gasket 111 is a filter clamping band 112. The inner face of this resilient band carries a gasket 113 which engages the outer surface of the filter inlet and clamps it tightly in contact with inner gasket 111. The lower end of clamp 112 is shown as connected to the under side of adapter elbow 107 by means of a leaf spring 114. The two ends of the clamp may be releasably held in closed position by a conventional toggle clamp 115. The full line` showing of the clamp in Figure l2 shows the toggle closed while the dotted line showing indicates the position of the clamp when in open position.

The iilter adapter also includes a dirt deliector 116 which is shown as formed integrally with elbow 107 and upstanding wall 109. This deflector is shaped to -provide an expanding passage opening upwardly into the filter through a large area outlet 117.

Reference will now be had to the novel means provided for holding the adapter swivelly seated on the exhaust outlet and for requiring the adapter to pivot in unison with the propelling handle, best illustrated iu Figures ll. and l2. The lower end of a leaf spring link 118 is connected by a pin 119 to a U-shaped bracket 120 formed on leg 101 of the handle bail. The upper, forwardly curved end of the link carries a shouldered rivet 121 which can enter the open end of a slot 122 provided in a lug 123 projecting upwardly from the top wall of adapter elbow 107. A torsion spring 124 surrounds pivot pin 119 at the lower end of the link and is connected between the handle bail and the link so as to urge the link to pivot counter-clockwise as viewed in Figure ll. Thus, spring 124 acts to hold rivet 121 normally seated in the closed end of slot 122 but permits the spring link and rivet to be pivoted forwardly out of the slot when the operator wishes to remove the adapter from the cleaner.

lt will be clear from the foregoing that when the propelling handle is pivoted rearwardly, link 113 will cause filter adapter 106 to pivot or swivel about the bearing assembly 96 carried in the end of exhaust air conduit 95. By referring to Figure l1, it will be noted that pivot pin 119 and rivet 121 are located equal radial distances from the axes of handle pivot 102 and adapter elbow 107, respectively. These radial distances are indicated by arrows 125, 125. By reason of this arrangement link 118 causes the adapter to pivot about the axis of bearing 96 in direct unison with the propelling handle.

lt is also to be noted that another function of connector link 118 is to hold the adapter r'irmly seated in the end ofthe exhaust air conduit. `To this endrthe Lupper endl of the connecting link isebiased inwardlytoward the body of the cleaner. Thisrnay beprovided for in several ways. One of these is to make link 118 out of fairly stiff spring ymaterial with its upper end tending to occupy a position much closer to the cleaner body than is` possible when pin 121 is seated in slot 122. i Or if preferred, the upper end of link 118 may be biased toward vthe body `ofthe cleaner by spring 124 thereby giving this spring a double function.

From the foregoing it will be clear that the only opera- 'tion required to disconnect the filter assembly from the exhaust conduit is for the operator to press forwardly von the upper end of link 118 until pin 121 passes beyond the open end of slot 122. The adapter may then be moved axially out of theend of the exhaust conduit. "The reassembly of the adapter is accompiished equally as expeditiously. Thus, the operator merely inserts the lend ofthe adapter into the` end of the exhaust conduit as link 118 is reconnected through the open end of slot 'f 122. The link'is then biased by spring 124 in a direction `to hold 'pin 121 assembled in theslot and its upper end is also biased toward the cleaner body so as to hold the adapter firmly seated in bearing 96.

Filter bag 105 is identical with that described in con- 'nection with the first embodiment with the exception that the ends of the main tubular lbody may be closed 'on the bias, as clearly indicated at 126 in Figure ll. Note that the short inlet leg of the L-shaped filter projects forwardly toward the front of the cleaner. desirable in order that the side of the bag, when deflated,

-will lie 'in u compact position closely beside the cleaner handle, as clearly indicated in Figures 7 and l2.

The appearance bag 04 may be made of cloth or other porous material. lts lower end may be tailored to provide a neat and pleasing appearance for clamping to the inlet end of elbow 107 by a simple clamp indicated at 127.

`The upper end of the appearance bag may be supported from the propelling handle in the general manner indi cated in the first embodiment. A hookless fastener 128 extends generally lengthwise of bag 104 from the lower most end thereof, as shown in Figure ll.

lt will be obvious from the foregoing that the adapter construction herein disclosed permits the use of a filter having a side inlet extending as far up the side of the is not required to iiex or bend during the operation of the cleaner.

While l have shown and described but two embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that those embodiments are to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. l do not wish to be limited to the particular structure shown and described but to include all equivalent variations except as limited by the scope of the claims.

l claim:

l. In combination, a suction cleaner of the fioor type having a body provided with a suction nozzle, a motordriven suction fan having an inlet in communication with said nozzle and an exhaust conduit leading therefrom, an elbow shaped filter adapter having inlet and outlet ends including means for swivelly connecting its inlet end to said exhaust conduit, said outlet end provided with a large area discharge opening adapter to be located within a filter bag, said adapter having means projecting laterally from one side of vsaid inlet end and cooperating 'therewith to provide a tubular filter seating and clamping This is area surrounding said inlet end and disposed to one side of said outlet end and of'niaterially greater peripheral extent than the periphery of said inlet end and discharge opening, said adapter elbow being arranged to project into a filter bag inletopening disposed in a longitudinal side wall of the filter adjacent but above the bottom end of the bag, and manually operable clamping means opposite the seating area of said adapter for releasibly clamping the inlet of such a filter bag to said adapter.

2. A propelling handle and filter assembly for a lioor type suction cleaner comprising, an elongated handle having a bail at its lower end adapted to be pivotally connected to the body of a suction cleaner, one side of said bail having a large area opening therethrough adapted to be swivelly connected at one end to the exhaust air outlet of a suction cleaner, an elbow shaped filter adapter having a horizontally extending inlet end connected to the other end of said large area opening and having an outlet end extending upwardly lengthwise of said handle in spaced relation thereto, said adapter having a tubular filter seating and clamping area encircling said inlet end and extending along said outlet endl on the side thereof adjacent said inlet, means for supporting said adapter on said hail from the inlet end thereof and leaving the elbow and outlet end portions thereof free for insertion into a filter bag inlet, an elongated filter bag having a tubular inlet opening in its longitudinal side wall adapted to receive said adapter and to seat loosely over the tubular filter seat thereon, means for clamping said filter inlet to said adapter in an air tight manner, and means carried by said handle for supporting the upper end of said filter bag whereby said bag and adapter pivot as a unit with said handle when the same is mounted on a suction cleaner.

3. A propelling handle and filter assembly for a suction cleaner as defined in claim 2 wherein said filter adapter is positioned between the sides of said handle bail and is spaced suiciently from one of the sides of the bail to permit the lower end of the filter bag to be assembled over and withdrawn from the elbow on the side thereof opposite said tubular filter seating area.

4. A propelling handle and filter assembly for a suction cleaner as defined in claim 2 wherein said bail is provided with aligned journals by which said bail can be pivotally connected to a suction cleaner for movement about an axis coinciding with the axis of the large area opening in one side of the handle bail.

5. A propelling handle and lter assembly for a suction cleaner as defined in claim 2 wherein the inlet end of said adapter includes means for readily connecting and disconnecting the same from said large area opening in one side of said handle bail.

6. in combination, a suction cleaner having an ambulatory body provided with'a suction nozzle, a motordriven suction fan having an inlet in communication with said nozzle and an exhaust air conduit leading therefrom, a propelling handle having a bail at its lower end pivotally supported on said cleaner, a filter adapter elbow having an inlet end and an outlet end, means swivelly connecting the inlet end of said elbow to said exhaust air conduit and including means connected between said handle bail and elbow for causing said elbow to swivel about said exhaust air conduit as the handle pivots with respect to said cleaner, the outlet end of said adapter elbow having a tubular filter seating and clamping area surrounding the inlet end of the adapter and'extending generally parallel to said handle along the side of said outlet end adjacent said inlet end, said tubular seating area having a peripheral extent several times greater than the periphery of the inlet end of the adapter, an elongated lter bag having an inlet opening complementary in size to said tubular seating area and opening laterally through the side wall of the filter at a point adjacent its lower end, releasable clamping means for clamping said filter inlet to the filter seating area of said adapter, and means for supporting the upper end of said filter from the upper portion of said handle whereby both said lter and adapter pivot in unison with the handle.

7. In combination, a wheel supported suction cleaner having a suction nozzle, a suction fan and an exhaust air conduit connected in series, a propelling handle pivoted to said cleaner on an axis extending transversely thereof at a point adjacent said exhaust conduit and generally parallel to the axis thereof, a filter adapter conduit including means for swivelly connecting one of its ends to the end of said exhaust conduit, said filter conduit having a tubular lter seating and clamping area formed at least in part by a flanged wall projecting outwardly from the exterior of said adapter conduit, said filter seat* ing area surrounding said adapter conduit and having its major portion located above the axis of said conduit in all normal operating positions, a paper filter bag closed at its opposite ends and having an elongated inlet opening in a side wall adjacent the lower end thereof adapted to telescope over the tubular filter seat on the adapter, and releasable clamp means for clamping said elongated inlet of thc filter bag to the adapter in an air tight manner.

8. The combination defined in claim 7 including means for detachably connecting the adapter conduit to the exhaust air conduit and to said propelling handle whereby said adapter is constrained to swivel about the axis of said exhaust air conduit in unison with the pivotal movernent of said handle with respect to said cleaner.

9. The combination defined in claim 8 wherein the pivotal axis of said propelling handle and the swivelling axis of said adapter conduit coincide.

l0. rfhe combination defined in claim 8 wherein the pivotal axis of said propelling handle is parallel to but odset from the swivelling axis of said adapter conduit and wherein the detachable connecting means between said handle and adapter includes a readily separable link.

11. The combination, defined in claim 7 and a resilient linkage interconnecting said handle and adapter operable to resiliently hold said adapter swivelly connected to the end of said exhaust conduit and to cause said adapter to pivot in unison with said handle.

12. The combination defined in claim 11 wherein said resilient linkage includes a readily disconnectable connection which can be severed when it is desired to disconnect said filter adapter from said exhaust air conduit.

13. A filter assembly for use on a floor type suction cleaner comprising, a rigid filter adapter having an inlet opening adapted to be seated over the discharge end of an exhaust air conduit, a wall projecting from one side of said adapter having an endless flanged rim adjacent and imrnovably secured to the 4edge thereof, said endless rim forming a filter inlet seating and clamping area of much greater length than the periphery of the inlet portion of said adapter, a tubular L-shaped paper filter bag having a large area inlet opening formed in the end of its shorter leg which is complementary in size to the filter seating and clamping area on said adapter so that the inlet opening can be readily telescoped thereover and removed therefrom for emptying said bag, said lter bag having an inwardly projecting pleat extending lengthwise thereof on the inner face of its longer leg, the lower end of said pleat being reversely folded to extend at right angles to the longer portion thereof and forming the inner face of the shorter leg of said L-shaped filter bag, said inwardly and reversely folded pleats providing said large area inlet opening for connection with said filter seating area and manually operable readily releasable clamping means for releasably clamping the inlet of said lter to the filter seating area of said adapter.

14. A filter assembly for a suction cleaner comprising an E -shaped paper filter bag having a tubular upright leg portion forming the main body of the filter, means closing the opposite ends of said upright leg portion, said upright leg having walls projecting laterally therefrom to form an open ended tubular inlet leg at the lower end of said upright leg, means for coupling said iilter to a suction cleaner exhaust air conduit having an inlet area much smaller than that of said filter inlet opening comprising an adapter conduit having an inlet of substantially the same cross-sectional area as said exhaust conduit and adapted to be swivelly connected to the end thereof, said adapter conduit being provided with an elongated flange projecting laterally therefrom and cooperating with said .v adapter conduit to provide a seating and clamping area for the tubular inlet end of said filter, means for releasably clamping said filter inlet to the filter seating area of said adapter, and rigid means extending lengthwise of said lter having its lower end arranged to swivel with said adapter and having a connection between the upper portion of said filter and the adjacent portion :of said rigid means whereby said entire filter assembly swivels in unison about the axis of said exhaust air conduit.

l5. ln combination, a suction cleaner having a main body, an exhaust air conduit on said body having a discharge end in a plane offset from and parallel to a vertical plane through the longitudinal median line of said body, a propelling handle having a bail pivotally connected to said body on an axis coinciding with the axis of the discharge end of said conduit, a connector conduit extending through one side of said bail in a position to register with the discharge end of said exhaust air con duit, an L-shaped filter adapter conduit having one end arranged to be detachably connected to the other end of said connector conduit, said adapter having a lter seating area for the tubular inlet of a filter bag which tubular inlet projects laterally fnom the side wall of the bag adjacent the end thereof, and manually operable clamp means for releasably clamping the inlet of a filter bag to said adapter.

16. In combination, a suction cleaner of the floor type having an exhaust air conduit discharging transversely of said cleaner, a filter adapter having an inlet conduit arranged to swivel about the end of said exhaust conduit, said adapter having a filter seating ange projecting laterally from one side of said inlet conduit and cooperating therewith to receive and seat an elliptically shaped inlet tube of a filter bag, an elongated tubular paper filter bag for use with said adapter, said bag having a tubular inlet tube projecting laterally from the side wall thereof and having an elliptical cross-section of a size suitable for receiving and seating against the seating iiange of said adapter, and means carried by said adapter for clamping said filter inlet -to said lter seating flange.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,553,076' Halsted Sept. 8, 1925 1,586,868 Webb June 1, 1926 1,821,824 Woodward Sept. 1, 1931 1,861,402 Van Riper May 31, 1932 1,939,579 Swartz Dec. 12, 1933 2,009,455 Replogle July 30, 1935 2,099,413 White Nov. 16, 1937 2,123,914 Replogle July 19, 1938 2,187,052 Poynter Ian. 16, 1940 2,232,375 Eliason Feb. 18, 1941 

